1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to an improved check valve, in particular for a high-pressure pump of a fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One check valve known from German Patent Disclosure DE 197 44 577 A1 is inserted into a bore in the high-pressure pump and has a pistonlike valve member which cooperates with a valve seat in order to control the inflow of fuel into a pump work chamber of the high-pressure pump. The check valve has a multi-part valve housing, and the valve member is guided displaceably in a first part of the valve housing. The valve member is urged in the closing direction toward the valve seat by a prestressed closing spring and is urged in the opening direction away from the valve seat by the pressure prevailing in the fuel inlet. The valve member is inserted from the side of the valve seat into the first part of the housing and protrudes into a recess of an adjacent second part of the valve housing, in which the closing spring is located. The first part of the valve housing having the valve member and the closing spring is inserted into the bore of the high-pressure pump, and the second part of the valve housing is then inserted into the bore in order to fix the first part of the valve housing in the bore. Because of the two parts of the valve housing, the check valve has a complicated construction, and because of their separate installation it also requires major effort and assembly.